Writing-machine.



No. 865,893. PATBNTED SEPT. 10, 1907. B. B. HESS.

WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29,1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W/TNESSES: g mm 0/? aid/6M4 4 ATTOBNEK No. 865,893. PATENTED SEPT. 10, 190?.

B; B, HESS. WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23.1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2'.

i BY 1 6? 6&WZM

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES;

PATENT. OFFICE.

EDWARD B HESS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO ROYAL TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF HOBOKEN, NEWJERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

WRITING-MACHINE To all whom it may concern:

v Be it known that I, EDWARD B. Hess, a citizen of the United Statesof merica, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, city and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Writing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The construction comprised in this invention affords a light and pleasant touch or resistance of the finger pieces; cushions them at the bottom of the stroke;

lighter spring is put under increased tensionajndi effects speedy return of the type barsfromthe printing point; and relieves the type bar pivots fromdirect strains incident to the spring devices that are employed to return them and finger pieces tonormal position.

To effect these objects, I apply to a link or member for operating each of the type bars, two springs of different strength so arranged that the heavier one comes into effective action as a spring during the latter part only of the excursion of the type bar to the printing point. Both springs may be in operation all the time in the sense that the heavier one may be used initially to put the lighter one under increased tension and subsequently it is subjected to material or effective tension when the type bar is adjacent the printing point; or the heavier spring may be entirely inactive during the major part of the excursion of the type bar to .the printing point during which time the finally the heavier spring is put under tension as the type bar becomes adjacent the printing point.

Employment of two springs one of which acting directly upon the type bar is placed under tension during the latter part only of the excursion of the type bar to the printing point is disclosed in patent of Gabrielson, No. 750,274, January-26, 190a,' and also,

springs so applied, however, exert strains directly upon the pivot of the barand in front strike machines, to'

which this invention particularly relates, it is important to relieve the type bar pivots, so far as is feasible,

of unnecessary, strains that produce wear. For this reason I apply the two springs that havebeen described directly to a link or actuating memb er'that is op eratively connected to the typebar. The details of arrangement and advantages incident thereto are further set forth below. In the accompanying drawings which show a front strike-machine, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical "section showing one form of the invention: Fig. 2, a

1 to Fig; 2.with the finger piece partly depressed and the type bar adjacent the printing point: Fig. 4, a like view like view showing another form of the invention with theparts in normal position: Fig. 3, a view similar Speoification'of Letters Patent.

. A plication filed June 29,1907. 'Serial No. 381,409.

Patented Sept. 10, 1907."

detail view showing a modification: Fig. 6, a detail view showing another modification: and Fig. 7 an enlarged detail view of one of the springs and a screw bolt With the threads, ofwhioh the convolutions of the rings are adjustably engaged, this being. the form of device indicated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. j r:

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4 a is the platen; b the type bar guide; 0 the segment, in which the type bars d are pivoted. There has been shown in each figure but one showing the type bar-at the printing pointi Fi 5,

type bar and its associated parts. The type bar ex- I tends normally toward the front of the machine and lies upon a back stop or'rest d". A link e connected at its rear end to the heel of the type bar has its front end hinged to the rear end of a shorter and preferably flat link f whose front end is pivoted at f in a fixed piece or post f 2 mounted upon a segmental plate f -extending transversely of the machine. A key lever g pivoted at its rear end extends forwardly in a horizontal direction and is equipped with a finger piece 9- as' usual. vertically disposed link h connects the key lever with the short front link f. Above the link f and arranged transversely of the machine is a segmental plate Two coiled springs are interposed between this plate'and the short-front link f. One is a relatively light spring 9 having one end attached to the link and the other to the egmental plate and normally under tension sufilcient to hold the parts in normal position with the type bar against its stop d. The other s'pringk has one end attached to thelink f and its npper'end'to a headed threaded bolt is" working through .an aperture in the segmental plate. The convolutioris of. the spring embrace the threads of the bolt so that by rotation' of thebolt an adjustment may be efiected. When the finger. piece is depressed, link f is drawn downwardly and the type bar pulled to the "printing pgint likeflink 'e". This arrangement of type baroperatinglinks is one that 1.

has been patented by me. Thesprin'g j, being constantly under tension, is extended as link J1 moves downpiece thatspring also is extendedor placed .under tension. i

. Fig. 3 indicates the stage of dp'ressi'on at which the heavy spring k comes into action; Itwill be observed ward and spring I: is inactive until the head of the bolt.

It comes in contact with the upper face of the 'seginentalplate Then on continued depressionof the finger;

that the type bar has moved through the major pm-oi its excursion and is adjacent the printing point. Gontinued depression of the key, during'which as shown in Fig. 4 spring is extended or placed under tension, throws the type bar into printing relation with the platem- Th relatively gradual increase of depression of the finger piece affords satisfactory touch while the reaction of the heavy spring affords a speedy retreat of the bar from the printing point. The reaction strains of the springs are exerted directly upon link I f and experience has shown that there .is less torsional strain upon the type bar bearings than there is when one of the springs acts directly upon the type bar. This is probably so because of the hinge and partlyswiveling connections of link e with the type bar and with link f.

A further distinct advantage present not only in the key lever form of machine illustrated but also in the push pin machines such as have been heretofore patented to me and in which are employed the links e, f, is that the extension of the springs is in a substantially vertical direction and in line with the direction of depression of the finger piece. Furthermore, the springs are located at the front in a conveniently acceptable position for assembling and for adjusting.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 the heavy spring 1: is attached to the link f at its lower end and at its upper end to a vertical disposed eye bolt'm working in an aperture in segmental. plate 1 and having coiled around it a lighter spring j which bears at its lower end upon the plate I; and its upper end against an adjusting nut m working on the threaded end of the eye bolt. In this form of the invention the heavy spring 10 is to the extent of pressing the lighter spring j placed undertonsion throughout the-initial movement of the bar but it becomes effective primarily as a spring whenthe lighter spring 9" has been collapsed between the adjusting nut and segmental plate. In Fig. 6 the same arrangement is shown except that the eye bolt is provided with a fixed head m between which and the segmental plate is placed the coiled light spring j. The heavier spring k comes effectively into action as a spring when the shoulder head in of the bolt comes in contact with the segmental plate.

Fig. 1 shows an arrangement similar to that of Figs. 5 and 6 in respectto the heavy spring being in action to some extent throughout the entire excursion of the type bar. The general arrangement, however, is quite different. The fixed part or post f 2 has a rearward extension f 4 and an upward extension f 5 turnedto overhang the part f In the upper overturned part f 5 is an adjustable stop screw 1:. serving to act as a limiting stop for a horizontally disposed lever o pivoted near or at its middle on the part f The light spring j has its ends eonnected with projection f 4 and one end of the lever 0 while the heavier spring k has its ends connected to linkf andto the other-end of the lever 0. Normally, the spring It acts primarily as alink and the reaction of spring 9', which is always under tension maintains all the parts in normal position. When, however, the finger piece 9 is depressed, a strain is exerted through spring I; which acts primarily as a link, and spring j is further oxtcnded until thelever o strikes adjusting stop n. Then on further depression of the finger piece spring It only is extended. The plate i can as shown, be carried by adjusting screws s swiveling in end pieces of the plate and working in threaded sockets in forward extensions at the ends of the type bar rest segment s.

This application is directed to the general arrangement of springs, other subject matter disclosed being part of the prior published art or claimed by me in other applications pending.

I claim:

1. In a writing machine. a-type bnr :u'luaiing connection connected with the type bar and actuated on depression of the corresponding finger piece. having applied to it intermedini'e the type bar and finger piece two reaction springs one of which is normally under stress and acts in hold the parts in normal position and the other of which is placed under effective strain during the latter part only of the excursion of the type bar to the printing point.

2. In a writing machine, a type bar fictllflillg connection connected with the type bar and actuated on depression of the corresponding finger piece, havingapplied to it intermediate the type bar and finger piece two reaction springs one of which is a relatively light spring normally under tension and acting to hold the parts in normal position and the other a relatively heavier spring placed effectively under tension during the latter: part only of the excursion of the type bar to the printing point.

3. In a front strike writing machine, the combination with the platen, type bar segment and type bars pivoted therein and normally lying towards the front of the mn chine of an operating link extending forward from the type bar, a shorter link pivoted at its front end to a fixed part of the machine and hinged at its rear end to the first named link, a finger piece, operative connections between the finger piece and said short front link in rear of its fixed pivot and two reaction springs of different strength acting upon said front link the lighter one of said springs being normally under tension and acting to hold the parts in normal position and the heavier one being placed effectively under tension toward the latter part only of the excursion of the type bar to the printing point.

4. in a front strike writing machine, the combination with the platen, typebar segment and type bars pivoted therein and normally lying towards the front of the machine of an operating link extending forward from the type bar, a shorter link pivoted at its front end to a fixed part of the machine and hinged at its rear end to the first named link, a finger piece, operative connections between the finger piece and said short front link in rear of its fixed pivot and two vertically disposed reaction springs of different strength, the lighter one being connected to said front link and to a fixed part of the machine located above the link and the heavier one being connected at its lower end to said link and at the upper end having sliding connection with n fixed part of the frame and coming into effective spring operation during the latter part only of the excursion of the type bar to the printing point.

in a writing machine, a type bar actuating connection connected with the type bar and actuated on depression of the corresponding finger piece, having applied to it intermediate the type bar and finger piece two reaction springs one of which is normally under stress and acts to hold the parts in normal position and the other of which is placed under efiective strain during the latter part only of the excursion of the type bar to the printing point, and

means for individually adjusting the latter spring.

6. in a writing machine, type bar actuating connections connected with the type bars and actuated on depression of the corresponding finger pieces, each having applied to it intermediate the type bar and finger piece two reaction springs one of which is normally under stress and acts to hold'the parts in normal position and tlieother of which is placed under effective strain during the latter part only of the excursion of the type bar to the printing point and means for simultaneously adjusting all the.normally tensioned springs.

.7. In a writing machine, type bar actuating.- connections connected with the type bars and actuated on depression of the corresponding finger pieces, each having applied -to it intermediate the type bar and finger piece two reaction springs one of which is normally under stress and acts to. hold the parts in normal position and the other of which is placed under efiective'strain duping the latter part' only of the excursion ot the type bar 'to the printing point, means for simultapeonslyadjustlng all the former-"springs and menus for individually adjusting all the latter springs.

8. In {1' front strike writing machine, the combination with the platen, type bar segment and type bars pivoted therein and normally lying toward the front of the machine of an operating link extending forward from the type bar, a shorter link pivoted at its front end to a flxed'part of the machine and hinged atits rear end to the first named-link, a key'kever under said links. a connection be tween the key lever and said front link and two reaction springs applied to the sald front link and so arranged that 10 the strain exerted by the .key lever is transferred directly to the points of support of the springs, one of said springs being constantly under tension and the other placed under eifective tension duringv the latter part only of the movement of the type bar. v i

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name. e I

EDWARD B. nnss Witnesses: l

JOHN M. Lnn, L. F. BROWNING. 

